Sarah Williams

Sarah Williams serves as Associate Head of Institute at the Sheffield Institute of Education (SIoE), part of Sheffield Hallam University's Department of Teacher Education within the College of Social Sciences and Arts. SIoE supports approximately 1500 students and 130 staff while partnering with over 600 educational institutions across 25 local authorities. Williams leads Secondary Initial Teacher Training and oversees the ITT Partnership, leveraging her extensive background in educational leadership.

Her academic journey includes an EdD from Sheffield Hallam University, with doctoral research titled 'Physical Education in primary schools: head teachers’ beliefs and practices'. Prior to academia, she gained practical experience as an Early Years teacher and Primary PE specialist in New Zealand, followed by a decade developing PE programs across 60+ UK schools in Sheffield.

Williams' research centers on physical development in primary and early years education, advocating for high-quality physical education as foundational for confident learners. She specializes in bridging classroom learning with outdoor environments while enhancing teacher confidence in PE delivery. Her expertise spans education policy, occupational sociology, behavior change frameworks, and intervention design—particularly examining how physical activity impacts academic outcomes and wellbeing in young children.

Her publication portfolio reveals consistent focus on UK primary school contexts, with recent works analyzing head teacher perspectives on PE prioritization, whole-school physical activity feasibility, and cross-national motivation studies. These investigations predominantly employ qualitative methodologies to inform practical strategies for educational settings.

Williams actively engages with professional communities through the European Primary PE Network and Sheffield Primary Physical Education Alliance, supporting schools in developing robust PE curricula. She also contributes to educational governance as a special needs school governor, demonstrating commitment to inclusive educational practices across diverse learner populations.